Press release

Sat, May 4th 2013 11:45 am

Schneiderman:
Today's decision preserves idea of "One Person, One Vote" for
New York City elections

A
New York City Supreme Court justice issued a decision Friday in the
case of George McDonald v. NYC Campaign Finance Board and the City of
New York, upholding New York City's campaign limits on
contributions to candidates, including those who "opt out"
of the city's public financing program.

Attorney
General Eric T. Schneiderman, whose office filed a
friend-of-the-court brief in defense of the city's laws, issued the
following statement in response:

"In
the post-Citizens United world, the majority of Americans agree that
unlimited election spending is bad for our democracy. New York City's
common-sense campaign finance laws have helped stem the flood of
money into city elections. Today's decision preserves the integrity
of those laws, and of the idea that political influence should not be
tied to wealth. This is a great
victory for the public financing of elections and for the people of
the City of New York."

In
George McDonald v. NYC Campaign Finance Board and the City of New
York, the plaintiffs sought a declaration that the city's rules
setting campaign finance contribution limits for candidates who do
not receive public funds are pre-empted by state election law. The
attorney general's office filed an amicus brief arguing New York
state election law does not operate in the field of public financing
of elections, which was followed by the court.

The
case was handled for the attorney general's office by Assistant
Solicitor General Leslie Dubeck and Deputy Solicitor General Richard
Dearing, under the supervision of New York Solicitor General Barbara
D. Underwood.